Marble shooter



June 23, 1925. 1,543,144

v H. WURM MARBLE SHOOTER Filed April 1925 Patented June 23, 1925.

nanny wean, or CLEVELAND, onto.

MAKE-LE 'SHQOTER.

Application filed. April 9, 1925. Serial No. 21,847.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENKY VVURM, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and 'State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Marble Shooters", of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a toy pistol or marble shooter, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction, whereby the frame and most of the separate parts can be inexpensively formed from wire, thereby enabling the device to be manufactured at a comparatively small cost.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which can be easily handled, which will effectively project a marble or similar object, which can be manipulated without difficulty, and which is not liable tobreak or get out of repair.

One particular embodiment of the invention' is shown on the drawings for illustrative purposes, although it will be understood that many modifications and changes can be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following de-, scription and accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a marble shooter which is constructed in accordance' with the invention, the plunger being shown by full lines in the position assumed when moved rearwardly to place the elastic band under tension preparatory to discharging the device, and being shown by dotted lines as partially moved along the marble guide or barrel after being released.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the marble shooter with the plunger shown in full line and dotted line positions as in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the combined trigger and marble retaining arm.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure '5 plunger.

is an enlarged end view of the Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description. and indicated on all of the views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The frame of the marble shooter is adapted to be formed of vstiff wire and. comp-rises a barrel or marble guide A and a handle or stock B which is adaptedto be grasped by the hand in substantially the same manner as the handle or grip of an ordinary pistol. The barrel or marble guide A comp-rises two spaced and parallel strands of wire 1, which are adaptedto support a marble C and direct the marble as it is forcibly propelled along the wires.

The

forward ends of the wire strands 1 are extended, downwardly and connected by a cross piece 2 which is arranged below the.

plane of the barrel.

The rear ends ofthc wire strands- 1 are extended downwardly at 3-, said downwardly extended portions being arranged in a plane at substantially rig-ht angles to the plane of the wire strands 1, and being connected by a downwardly ex.- tending looped portion which constitutes the handle or stock B. A plunger 4 is slidably mounted upon the wire strands 1 of the barrel, being provided at opposite sides thereof with longitudinally extending grooves 5 which loosely receive the wire strands.

The forward end of the plunger is formed with a depressed seat 6 which is adapted to receive a portion of the marble and assist in centering the marble and holding the marble in proper position on the wire strands 1.

Projecting down- 7 the barrel.

A marble C which may have been placed upon the wires 1 just in front of the plunger before the plunger is released will thus be moved along the wires 1 with the plunger and forcibly projected from the end of the barrel.

When the plunger is moved rearwardly to the limit of its movement the pin or hook 7 at the bottom thereof is engaged by a shoulder 9 on an L-shaped trigger 10. The trigger is formed from a length of wire andv the upper arm thereof comprises spaced strands 10 which extend under the rear end of the barrel and have the same general direction as the barrel. The other arm of the trigger extends downwardly just in front of the handle or stock B, so that it can be readily engagedv by the index finger of a hand by which the stock is grasped. The downwardly extending arm of the trigger comprises the two wire strands 10 which are looped at their lower end and twisted at their upper end. A sheet metal strip 11 is applied to the front of the twisted portion, the lower end of the strip being returned between the spaced strands of the downwardly projecting portion of the trigger, while the upper end thereof is returned between the strands 10 of the upper portion of the trigger and provides theshoulder 9 for engagement with the pin or hook 7. The upper end of the sheet metal strip 11 provides a smooth metal surface for the inclined nose 7 of the hook member 7 to slide over when the plunger 4 is moved rearwardly and the hook member brought into engagement with the trigger.

The spaced strands 10 of the upper arm ofthe trigger extend rearwardly between the downwardly extending ends 3 of the wire strands 1 and are returned laterally around the respective portions 3, as indicated at 12. After being thus returned the wire strands are bent to provide angular portions 13 which fit around opposite ends of a retaining pin 14 which is arranged in the angular corner between the wire strands 1 and downwardly extending ends 3 thereof. After forming the angular portions 13 the wire strands are carried upwardly around the wires 1 of the barrel and secured to each other in some suitable manner as by means of a twist 15. One of the strands is then extended forwardly to provide a resilient arm 16 which terminates in a looped. mar le engaging head 17. It will be obvious that when the pin 14 is removed the trigger and marble retaining arm can be removed from the main frame as a unit. The trigger and resilient arm are also formed from a single length of wire, thereby facilitating the manufacture and assembling of the device. A sheet metal strip 18 is arranged between the downwardly extending rear ends 3 of the wire strands 1,

the upper end of the sheet metal strip being.

returned around the pin 14, while thelower end of the metal strip has a returned end which engages the portions 12 of the trigger. The width of the metal strip determines the spacing between the wires 1 and holds the said wires a proper distance apart at the rear end thereof. The angular portions 13 of the trigger and retaining arm are arranged on the outside of the wires 1 and prevents spreading of the wires. The wires 1 are thus held securely the proper distance apart at the rear end of the barrel or marble guide.

When preparing the pistol or gun for projecting a marble the plunger 4 is grasped by the hand and moved rearwardly upon the wire strands 1, until the lower end of the hook 7 is engaged by the shoulder 9 of the trigger. The inclined nose 7" of the hook member first rides over the upper end of the metal strip 11 and flexes the trigger downwardly so that the trigger will spring upwardly and bring the shoulder 9 into engagement with the hook member 7 as soon as the plunger has been moved rearwardly a sufficient distance to bring it to the rear end of the barrel and place the elastic band 8 under tension. The rear end of the plunger at has the upper corner thereof beveled, as indicated at This deflects the marble engaging head 17 of the resilient arm 16 upwardly so that the-head is carried over the top of the plunger upon the rearward movement of the latter. A marble C can then be inserted in position against the forward end of the plunger. -The bottom of the marble then rests upon the wire strands 1 while the back of the marble engages the depressed seat 6 of the plunger. The top of the marble is resiliently engaged by the looped head 17 at the'end ofthe wire 16 so that the marble is held against displacement and will remain in proper position for discharging until the trigger is pulled: 7

Upon pulling the trigger the shoulder 9 is moved downwardly out of the path of the hook member 7 of the plunger, whereupon the plunger is released and forcibly moved forwardly upon thewire strands 1 by the ction of the elastic band 8. The marble is retaining arm 16. The rapid movement of the marble causes it to be projected from the end of the barrel, while the plunger strikes against a cross-wire 20, which connects the downwardly extending forward ends of the wire strands 1 and holds the said wire strands in a properly spaced relation. The barrel or marble guide A and the stock or handle B are both formed from a single length of stiff wire and the ends of the wire may be brought together and fastened in an abutting relation at any suitable point in the frame. A convenient point moved forwardly with the plunger, being. disengaged from the looped head 17 of the- I claim-as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is,

1. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adaptedto support and guide a marble, a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire strands,

yielding means for moving the plunger forwardly, and trigger controlled means for holdingthe plunger at the rear end of the barrel I 2. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced wire strands adapted to support and guide a marble, a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire. strands and provided at its forward end with a marble engaging seat, yielding means for moving the plunger forwardly, and trigger controlled detent means for holding the plunger at the rear end of the barrel.

3. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed with spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble, a downwardly projecting loop connecting the forward ends of the wire strands, a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire strands, a fastening member projecting from the plunger, an elastic band connecting the fas tening member to the before mentioned loop, and a-trigger provided with means for enagingthe saidfastening member to holdthe plunger at the rear end of th barrel.

A. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble, a plunger slidably mounted upon the said wire strands,- yielding means for moving the plunger forwardly, a trigger controlled detent for holding the plunger at the rear limit of its movement, and retaining means for releasably holding a marble against the end of the plunger when the latter is engaged by the detent. means.

5. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble, a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire strands, yielding means for moving the plunger forwardly, trigger controlled detent means for holding the plunger at the rear end of the barrel, and a resilient marble retaining arm terminating in a head adapted'to engage a marble and hold the latter releasably against the forward end of the plunger when the latter is at the rear end of the barrel.

6. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble, a looped wire handle at the rear-end of the barrel,.the.bar-

rel and handle beingformed of a single,

length of wire, a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire strands-of the barrel, yielding i means for moving the plunger forwardly-,- and trigger controlled detent meansfor holding the plunger at the rear end of the barrel.

7. A marble shootercomprising a barrel. formedof spaced strands of wire adapted to support andoguide a: marble, the'rear ends of the wire strands being extended down wardly, a looped wire handle forming continuation of the strands,the handle andbarrel being formed from a singlelength of;

wire,a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire strands, and means for actuating the plunger to project a marble. r

8. A marble shooter comprising-a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble, the forward, and rear ends of the wire strands being ex: tended downwardly, a cross piece connect,- ing the downwardly extending forward ends of the wire strands, a looped handle forming a continuation of the downwardly, extended rear ends of the wire strands, all of the before mentioned parts being formed from a single length of wire, a plunger slidably mounted upon the wire strands of; the barrel, and means for actuating; the, plunger. i 9. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble. a plunger.

end of the plunger, the trigger and retain 7 ing arm being formed from a single length of wire.v

10. A marble shooter comprisinga barrel and stock, a plunger slidably. mounted upon the .barrel, a trigger, means actuatedby the trigger for controlling the plunger, a re-- taining arm for releasably holding a marble. in front of the plunger, the trigger and retaining arm being formed as a unit, and means for detachably connecting the said unit to the barrel.

11. A.marble shooter comprising a barrel and stock, a plunger slidably mounted upon the barrel, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger for controlling the plunger, a retaining arm for releasably holding a marble in front of the plunger, the trigger and retaining arm being formed as a unit, and a pin extending transversely through the barrel and stock and interlocking with the trigger and retaining arm unit to hold the latter in operative position.

12. A marble shooter comprising a barrel and stock, a plunger mounted upon the barrel, a transverse pin extending removably through the barrel and stock, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger for control ling the plunger, a retaining arm for holding a .marble releasably in front of the plunger, the trigger and retaining arm being formed as a unit and having portions which extend around the barrel and interlock with the pin to hold the unit in position.

13.-A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced wire strands adapted to' rel for cooperation with the pin to retain the unit in position.

14, A marbleshooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced strands of wire adapted to support and guide a marble, the rear ends of the wire strands being extended downwardly, a plunger slidably mounted upon the barrel, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger for controlling the plunger, a retaining arm for releasably holding a marble in front of the plunger, the trigger and retaining arm being formed as a unit from a single piece of wire and having a looped portion at their intersection which fits around the wire strands of the barrel, and a transverse pin arranged in the angle between the said wire strands and the downwardly extended rear ends thereof, said pin engaging portions of the loop to retain the trigger and retaining arm in operative position.

15. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced wire strands adapted to support and guide a marble, the rear ends of the strands being extended downwardly in an angular relation, a transverse pin fitted in the said angular space, a plunger mounted upon the barrel, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger for controlling the plunger, and a retaming arm for holdlng a marble in front of the plunger, the trigger and retaining arm' being formed of wire and having a looped portion at the intersection thereof which fits around the wire which extends around the exterior of the wire strands, and a transverse pin interlocking with the loop to hold the trigger removably in position. i

17. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced wire strands adapted to support and guide a marble, a plunger mounted upon the barrel, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger for controlling the plunger, said trigger being formed of wire and having a looped portion which extends around the exterior of the spaced wires of the barrel to prevent the same from spreading, a transverse pin interlocking With the loop to holdthe trigger removably in position, and means on the pin for preventing the. wire strands of the barrel from moving toward each other.

18. A marble shooter comprising a barrel formed of spaced wire strands adapted to support and guide a marble, a plunger mounted upon the barrel, a trigger, means actuated by the trigger for controlling the plunger, said trigger being formed of wire and having a portion extending around the exterior of the spaced wires of the barrel to prevent spreading of the wires, a pin engaging the said portions of the wire and interlocking therewith to hold the trigger in position, and means upon the pin for preventing the spaced wires of the barrel from coming together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY WURM. 

